


Fear Is The Most Dangerous Weapon

by kirkwords



Category: Brave (2012), How to Train Your Dragon (Movies), Rise of The Brave Tangled Dragons - Fandom, Rise of the Guardians (2012), Tangled (2010)
Genre: Angst, Explicit Language, Hijack Bromance, Non-Graphic Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-07
Updated: 2020-04-10
Packaged: 2020-04-12 02:35:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 4,323
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19122838
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kirkwords/pseuds/kirkwords
Summary: Pitch Black has risen to power again, and the Guardians are here to stop him, but when it turns out that one of their own is under Pitch's control, will they be able to protect the children of the world, and save their teammate at the same time?





	1. Prologue

Barren walls.

 

No door.

 

No way to see the light. 

 

Darkness swirled through the room. It was coming from him, although he didn't notice. His fears clasped his wrists and ankles, forcing him to the floor. Flames lapped in his face, laughing at his failure to free himself. 

 

He could do this alone he assured himself; anything to keep his friends out of the blast. More fear crept into his mind as he tried to force it away.

Fear was making him weak, Making his enemy stronger. Blood no longer flowed within his veins, only darkness and raging flame, He was once kind, willing to help those who needed it, children looked to him for safety from danger, now he was that danger.

 

His vision blurred.

 

Chains seemed to be forming around his neck and waist. The more he thought, the more he suffered, but he couldn't stop thinking. The darkness overtook him and he collapsed. Hours seemed to pass as he lay motionless on the cold floor; it reminded him of home. The fire and swirling black subsided, to reveal a tall figure. 

 

A hollow laugh filled the empty tunnels and pathways. It lifted its hand, and he stood up. It felt voluntary, but something in him knew it wasn’t. His knees buckled at a pain in his back, but he remained standing. A piercing scream rang through the cell, although he didn’t open his mouth. 

 

Wing shaped shadows stretched across the stone, blocking any source of light from his vision. He’d always been afraid of flying as a young child, something about being vulnerable to the sky terrified him. He heard a snap and he stood rigid, every bone and muscle in his body ached. 

 

The figure in front of him spoke, although he couldn’t hear anything, just fuzzy haziness, but he knew what it wanted. He had one job; bring fear, and only fear, into the minds of the people of the world. No longer was he a protector of children, a guardian, but a deadly weapon to be used on those who trusted him.


	2. A Captured Ally

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pitch's weapon is let loose on the world.  
> The guardians rally together to fight it off.  
> A frightening realisation dawns on them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CONTENT WARNING: This chapter contains light mature language, It's only one line but I feel the warning should be put up anyway.

The North Pole shook. Elves and Yetis scrambled to save the toys they were making, protecting months of work. Darkness swirled around every area of the workshop, crashing into pillars, and smashing windows. Noticing the comotion, Nicholas St. North got to his feet and stormed out of his office, a small ice statue falling to the floor, shattering on impact. 

 

The path to the Globe seemed to take seconds, as he wove between paths, and distressed workers. Using his shashkas to cut through the sand-like substance flying towards him at every angle. North got to the Globe to see small golden lights flickered off in every location, almost at random. Without hesitation, he reached for the handle on the desk and pressed it down. Bright coloured light splayed out from the countries on the Globe, and flew out around the world. Aurora Borealis and Aurora Australis shon in broad daylight.  

 

The sand disappeared as soon as it arrived. Running from the lights, as to not get caught. By the time the panic subsided, North was alone, standing on a platform looking out over his home. If Pitch truly was back, why run? His old adversary used to revel in a fight, at the very least a little visit with a taunt attached; nothing like what was happening now. Was that even Pitch? It had to be, North reassured himself; no one else had control over Nightmare sand, unless he...

 

His thoughts were interrupted by a familiar voice, which made him jump and turn to the visitor. 

 

“This better be important, mate.” Bunnymund stood leaning against a large pillar, his ears twitching with uncertainty. He strolled over to the Globe. He swore under his breath as he looked over the lights going out. "We barely made it out alive last time it was this bad.” 

 

“But it’s not just us, Bunny. We have Jack and his friends this time.” North reassured him, patting his friend on the head. He looked out the window to see quick flashes of green and gold fly past. Tooth and Sandy rushed in, to the Globe. Not giving any word of greeting, the duo flew up around the structure. Bunny followed their movements very closely, seeing the jitteriness and panic in their eyes.

 

"Oh yeah? And where are they now?" 

 

~

 

It was a peaceful evening in the kingdom of Dunbroch, far different from the chaos of last twelve hours, particularly to the princess, Merida. She sat atop the highest turret of her home, looking out over the ocean, her fiery red curls bouncing in the calm breeze. Her mother had been pushing her around all day, more than usual it seemed. Preparations were being made for the princess’ seventeenth birthday, which was a month away. Merida had insisted to her mother that this much was not necessary, but the Queen was hearing none of her daughters protests. 

 

Sitting high above the castle gave Merida a sense of clarity; a gap between her and the rest of the kingdom, and the rest of her family. She liked to get away from everyone and stare at the sky, hoping that she might see a winged black silhouette, or a blue hoodie fly past. She missed her friends; friends that no one knew she had. The Lost Princess, the Viking, and the Guardian.

 

A shrill scream from down in the castle brought Merida back to reality. She climbed back inside and followed the sound she had heard. The princess ran as fast as she could, slipping past workers in the castle, who were scared and panicked. The screaming brought her down to the kitchen. Maudie, her brothers’ nursemaid was knelt down on the ground, muttering ancient prayers before a tall dark figure. It stood around five and a half feet, although it seemed to be hovering above the ground by a couple of inches. It had a slim appearance, and the physical of a pubescent boy somewhere between fifteen and seventeen. 

 

Darkness swarmed around the room, no not just darkness Merida thought, Nightmare sand. Before she could react, a force of sand slammed against her, blocking her vision and knocking her to the floor. As her sight returned to her, someone was helping her to feet. Merida scrambled out of their grip and ran to a window that had been shattered by the creature. Black sand coated the windowsill and shattered glass. A glance to the sky confirmed her suspicions. The Northern Lights shone across the kingdom, swirling with urgency. Shoving past the crowd that had gathered to witness the commotion, Merida sprinted for the otherside of the castle. Reaching her room, she dug into her drawers, feeling for a smooth sphere. At last she found the snowglobe; shaking it to take her to her destination. 

 

“North Pole” 

 

Merida threw the globe to the ground, spawning a swirling, colourful portal. Grabbing her bow and quiver, she stepped into the portal and disappeared.

 

The figure seemed to have won the race to the Pole, as had one of her friends. Rapunzel was toe to toe with the swarm of darkness, parrying with what looked to be a half-made toy. Merida joined in the fight, firing an arrow at their adversary. It spun around and growled at her, in an almost animalistic fashion. It seemed to have recognised her, as a jet of sand propelled towards her. Diving out of the way just in time, she narrowly missed it. As she looked around, she noticed that everyone else was here except for two people, Hiccup and Jack.

 

“They should be here by now. This is really serious!” Rapunzel cried. 

 

“You know the boys, Raps. They’re never where they should be.” Merida told her, “especially Jack. Come to think of it, he’s a legitimate guardian, he’s not one of us. Which means that he doesn’t have to juggle this and his other life, unlike Hiccup, who is probably still at home. You know what he’s like, never here; always adventuring with his friends.” She continued. The other guardians started listening to her now. The being seemed to flinch and pull away as she mentioned her friends, almost as if the mere mention of them would hurt it. Rapunzel seemed to notice the reaction as well, as she spoke what Merida had been thinking. 

 

“You don’t think _that_ could be Ja-”

 

“It would have to be, where else would he be? What has Pitch done to him?” 

 

As if in response to the princess’ ponderings, a flash of ice flew at the darkness. Jack Frost dove down towards the fight, his staff clashing with the dark weapon it was wielding. The fight seemed to be at a standstill, until the darkness vanished. Jack fell to his knees, shaking with rage and anguish. 

 

“I’LL KILL YOU PITCH! YOU FUCKING HEAR ME! I’LL DRAG YOU TO HELL WHERE YOU BELONG!!!!” He bellowed, shooting one final shot at the escaping darkness, although it did nothing. He fell to the ground again, a whimper escaped him as he sobbed. Rapunzel ran up to him, falling to her knees and pulling him into an embrace. 

 

“Jack, that’s not Pitch. It can’t be. Where have you been?” Still shaking, Jack looked up, his eyes red; tears welling in his eyes and freezing on his cheeks. 

 

“I know. It’s Hiccup.”


	3. What Happened? (Pt 1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In despair, Jack explains to the Guardians where he's been.

He had no idea what he was doing, he didn't want to hurt the woman, but the voice in his head told him to. It was telling him to do everything right now. Her shrill screaming resonated something within him, although he didn’t know what it was. He only felt fear. Fear of what his master would do if he didn’t listen to what he wanted. Fear of what people were seeing him as, and fear of himself. His hair was no longer a dusty auburn but black; his eyes no longer green, but bright gold, shining with corrupted childishness. 

 

A cold breeze slid down his spine. His attacker was close, the icy cold nudged at his senses like he was being poked in the head to remember something. Pushing it away he heard a crash. A cloud of flame tumbled down the stairs; the pursuer had come for him, he thought. Within a flash, he was out in the breeze, aimlessly soaring toward his next target. Slowly, the North Pole came into view. 

 

~

 

Jack knelt on the ground, surrounded by his friends, except for one. He couldn’t say anything without it coming out as a sob. He had been there. He had seen everything, and he did nothing. The area around him started to coat with ice, swirling around the floor. Guilt dug deep into his heart as he tried to control his breathing. 

 

“What happened? Where have you been?” Rapunzel’s voice floated through his ears.

 

“It’s a- It’s a long story…” He heard himself respond.

 

~

The squeak of metal was the only sound to be heard for miles, along with the occasional grumble from the dragon accompanying the two boys. Slowly, the duo made their way to a small cave opening, standing either side to avoid being seen.

 

“I’ll go in. You guys head back, before North notices we went on our own.” Hiccup said quietly, sounding sure of himself, like he had been planning this for weeks. 

 

“Dude no. We agreed we’d either go in together or not at all. Also wouldn’t it look bad with me going back with Toothless without his rider like nothing happened.”

 

“I have less to lose if this goes bad.”

 

“That’s bullshit Haddock, and you know it. I’ve faced him alone before. I’ll go.” Jack stuck his staff into the ground, putting his foot down on the matter. 

After minutes of back and forth arguing, Hiccup walked into the cave alone. Jack sent Toothless back, before following his friend into the dark unknown.

 

Slipping in behind his friend, Jack placed himself out of sight of Pitch, in case anything happened. The viking walked down the winding paths, deeper and deeper into the cave. Jack’s fears heightened. As he hung in the air, a shadow slid behind him. Pitch knew he was here. 

 

He had no time to react as his friend was thrown to his knees. Pitch seemed to linger over his fallen figure, as if thinking over what he was going to do. Metal chains lashed out, whips of Nightmare sand wrapped themselves around the boy’s thin arms and legs. Clasps pulled at his limbs, tugging him in every direction, then he was just...gone. A large stone wall shot from the ground and crashed into the ceiling. Jack looked on unable to see through the wall, frozen in place. Screaming and pleading echoed throughout the hollow chambers.

 

“NO!”

“Please, please, I’ll do anything!”

“Please don’t leave me!”

“COME BACK!!! PLEASE JUST LISTEN TO ME!!!!”

 

The hours seemed to blend together, the darkness filling the space. It swarmed around Jack’s head, beckoning and taunting him for being a coward and not moving. He couldn’t tell how much time had passed, although he picked patterns in the surrounding atmosphere. A cracking whip sound flew through the hollows and caves every three minutes. Restless, inaudible screaming followed non-stop between each crack. The clanking of chains accompanied the loudest shrieks. The auditory struggle was far more painful to Jack then any physical pain he could endure himself. He had lived for over 300 years, and yet this was the most horrendous thing he’d ever been forced to witness. He had been invisible from the world, alone until he was a Guardian, unable to reach out to anyone for help, yet it was this that broke him the most. His best friend, he was only a boy.

 

A boy, forced to despise the world for how it had treated him. A boy, who cried and screamed when he was chosen, not wanting the burden of caring for children, when he had not felt that care for himself. Hearing him scream, a child to both him and their adversary, suffering beyond anything that he had suffered before was heart-wrenching, although a voice in Jack’s voice kept him from helping. If he were to fly down there, to try and save his only friend, both of them would be slaughtered without mercy or second thought. 

 

The screaming slowly faded out. The only thing resonating in Jack’s ears was his own heartbeat. Still unable to move, whether voluntary or not he couldn’t tell, he could barely hear Pitch’s voice over a low feral growling. The walls seemed to fall away, Jack fell with them. 

 

“Want to say ‘Hello’ to your little friend, Frost?” A voice echoed, bouncing off the cavernous walls; Pitch. 

 

Jack reached out for his staff. A sudden force on the back of his hand snapped his eyes open. A face staring down at him met his glance. The eyes were the first thing Jack noticed, a piercing gold, swirling as if they were golden torches. Pale grey skin melted into a mess of black hair. Large black wings flapped cautiously, kicking up dust and wind around them. Hiccup no longer wore his green tunic, but a tight black suit of armour, melded into his skin. The armour, though black, shon with gold and flaming light. 

Jack’s staff was resting in his hand, fire lapped around the wood, darkening it, but not burning it. 

 

“Your little Guardian is mine now,” Pitch continued, “The little Pawn has changed sides. He is now my Knight, and I, his King.” 

 

“Then I guess you suppose this is a Checkmate?” 

 

“Something like that, yes.”

 

“Well. Let’s keep playing then.” 


	4. What Happened? (Pt 2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jack continues his explanation

Despite Jack’s retorts, he couldn’t move a muscle. He was mentally exhausted, and with Hiccup’s foot placed firmly on his chest and his own staff pushing into his hand, there was no where for him to go. He squirmed under the weight of his friend, gripping at the dirt beneath him for some kind of leverage onto his feet. His eyes searched the area rapidly, though Pitch didn’t seem to be anywhere in sight. They were alone. Jack needed to get out of here; to warn the others and prepare for what he knew they would have to face. He just needed to find a way out. Just beyond Hiccup was a circle of light. An exit. 

 

Jack’s brain seemed to go into autopilot. He wrestled his right hand free and threw it against Hiccup’s chest, knocking his friend - foe back several steps, giving him a chance to scramble to his feet. He got a better look at what his best friend had become through the dust they had kicked up. He towered feet above Jack, every vein in his body and wings visible, pulsing with darkness and fear. He seemed to be more powerful the closer it was to Pitch. Jack’s mind came back to his body as he took a blow to the head. Stumbling back, he shook off the pain, and charged again.

 

He resisted the thoughts at first, but then his realisation began to settle in. This being; whatever it was, was no longer Jack’s friend, he didn’t need to hold back his powers. He was essentially fighting Pitch, but not quite, although at this point, Jack didn’t see a difference. His thoughts didn’t disrupt the flow of magic being thrown back and forth. Nightmare sand met ice in a way Jack had never seen before. With Pitch, the sand was elegant yet vicious; a chilling terror. This was direct, wild, feral; an anger that had been building up for decades, centuries even. Jack swore he could hear a loud roar with every blast that tore through the air towards him. 

 

He rushed at his adversary, shooting blast after blast of ice, but to no avail. He was knocked back by a powerful hit of fear. He heard a loud crack and a piercing scream as he hit a wall. Flashes of darkness spun in his head. He needed to get to his staff that it was still holding. He tried lunging for it several times, but in the dark caves, he fell on his face at his futile attempts to get any sort of advantage in the fight.

 

Staff still in hand, it took off towards the light; Jack’s way out. He took off after it, both of them spiraling and flying around each other, both with a common goal: get the staff and stop the other. Jack managed to rip his staff free, and toss a hard swing to it’s jaw. The blow made it furious. Hands reached for Jack’s throat, pushing him back down to the ground miles below them. He let himself fall as what was once Hiccup let him go and took off. Jack waited before following it.

 

Thinking it was heading for the North Pole, he decided to start heading there until he saw the castle on the horizon. Corona. Why was it heading to Rapunzel? He didn’t have the time to answer that question as its wings curled in on themselves, turning it into a wisp of sand. Jack stopped, dumbfounded as to what he was seeing. Pitch could never to that in thin air, he melted into shadows. Shivers ran down his spine as he saw it blast out of a window at the ground level of the castle; the servants quarters. Alarms blared around the kingdom as the winged terror vanished again. The wisps travelled south, Jack figured that the only place it could be going was Dunbroch, so he pursued. 

 

A similar although more chilling scene had taken place when Jack had reached the Scottish kingdom. The castle was in shambles, sounding alarms of all kinds. Windows surrounding the lower levels blasted open, but no culprit in sight. He swore to himself and turned around, taking the long, tiring journey back north to the Pole. 

 

~

 

“..and now I’m here.” Jack pushed out, his voice on the edge of collapsing. He looked up for the first time since starting his tale. Everyone but Merida was staring at him with dumbfounded horror. He couldn’t blame them. If he hadn’t been there to see it all, he wouldn’t have believed himself either. The fiery princess paced back and forth along the ground, plucking at the string of her bow. 

 

“We’ve gotta kill him,” she said with anger and determination.

 

“Excuse me?!” Rapunzel barked, seemingly furious at the very thought. 

 

“Not Hiccup, blondie,” Merida shot back, “Pitch. I don’t care how hard we have to fight, we have to take him down.”

 

“I just want my best friend back…” Jack whispered, his throat cracking under the emotions bubbling in his chest. 

 

“We’ll get him back mate. That’s a promise,” Bunny said, hopping over to the console looking over the Globe, a boomerang firmly in his grasp. “But first things first: We need a plan.”


	5. The Dragon's Cage

He stumbled back through the cave, the wings on his back flapping loosely. They would carry him for a few seconds, only an inch or so off the ground, then give in. He had no idea how his master would think of him like this. No prisoners; barely able to stand. His weight finally caved in under him, as he toppled over and landed on his face. The stone was cold and soothing, but something in him was trying to force him to his feet, which he obeyed. His vision started going funny; but his limbs kept moving. His own thoughts left his mind, leaving only one thought behind in his head - ‘keep walking’.

 

Nightmares trotted past him, bowing their heads towards him as he made his way down the dark caverns that seemed so familiar to him, yet alien all at once. Doors in front of him opened to a large hall. A large black throne was situated at the far wall, spirals of his masters power scaling up and around the stone walls. He fell to his knees, his bones aching at the sudden movement. 

 

“Not a single Guardian?” Pitch’s voice echoed around the room. “You know why I used you; to bring me what I wanted, but you can’t even do that. Frost was right in your grasp and you let him go.” He struggled to get a word out, to explain himself, but he was frozen still with fear.

 

A loud crack sounded in his ear, and he fell to the side, snapping him out of the trance. A whip drifted into his eyesight. It pulled back and another crack sounded. Pain shot up his side, but he couldn’t scream. A tug on his wing forced him to his feet. Golden eyes met his own, swirling with boiling anger and shame. He had seen that same look in a pair of green eyes at some point in his life, before all of this. Before the darkness consumed him. St-...Sto-...; a word was trying to break through a barrier in his mind. It shone like gold in the swirling black abyss. Tears welled in his eyes, and fell down his cheeks. His master scoffed and threw him to the floor again.

 

“You’re nothing but a filthy, weak animal! I can see why they call you-” 

 

Crack. 

 

~

 

The darkness faded from his vision. Everything in him was cold, except for the raging fire in his veins. His hands twitched, waking up the nerves across his whole body. Pushing himself to sit up, his hands stopped just short of his chest. A clang brought his eyes to see the chains. They clasped tightly onto his wrists, disallowing him to move them in any direction larger than a few inches. He tried to get to his feet, but couldn’t stand up without the chains tugging on his skin. Looking to his hands, he saw the colour had gone. His skin was grey, and seemed to look like scales. 

 

The weight on his back prevented him from standing. The stone under his hands was soothing. Blackness swirled under and around him, itching for him to break free. To run away from the pain and suffering, though he didn’t know where that was. The golden light shone out to him again past that barrier for a second, before being engulfed again by the black. Even the gold was corrupt and unsafe, but it was better than here. Using all his strength, he pulled his small frail figure to his feet. He swayed slightly, the heavy weight on his back and shoulders tried to push him down, yet he resisted. 

 

He felt anger. He always felt anger, but this was different. He was an injured animal, wishing to be free, trying to escape the mental and physical chains holding him to the ground. He wished to be in the air, away from the pain, the hurt. It’s all he had felt since he was a child. A sense of belonging. He belonged in the sky. With the ones who trusted him. He needed to find the gold beyond that barrier.

 

The need rose up within him, a raging flame wanting to explode. His whole body stung and burned up. He ran for a wall, the chains clinking as he pulled against them. His body slammed against the stone, and stayed there. His master pushed his head against the stone again, but it didn’t look like stone. There was a light, a way to the sky, the freeing air. Pitch leaned into his ear. 

 

“Behave, or you’ll never see that again!” He snarled. “You are mine now. You will find those Guardians, and bring them to me alive. I won’t keep you here in this cage if you do that for me.” His voice was mellow now, quiet, but sharp. He disappeared, and so did the light. The rage and flame died down again. The room was quiet and dark. 

 

The Dragon collapsed again.


End file.
